Puppy in a half shell! Photo from CNN

Ah China... where fashion dilettantes sport Chinglish covered t-shirts, retirees wear pajamas outdoors, construction workers roll their work shirts up over their bellies... and now this.

Just another of the fabulous benefits of being a tourist in China, is seeing what crazy new fashion statements they'll think of next.

The nouveau riche love their pets, and love dressing them up even more. Wandering around Beijing, Shanghai and other cities, don't be surprised to find dogs strutting proudly in everything from tutus to knit wool sweaters. Dyeing man's best mannequin friend is, of course, simply the next logical step.

Apexnetwork and CNN.com both ran this story in which Mary Peng, who runs the International Center for Veterinary Services in Beijing, explains a few of the minor risks pet owners subject their pets to when treating them to a full Dennis Rodman makeover:

Sometimes these dyes can be fatal for pets. Most of this industry, especially hair dyes and coloring for pets, is so new that there might not be a lot of regulation.

You mean hair dyes being marketed for animals might not be as safe as China's milk supply!?

Click here to see more dogs dyed in bikini, tiger and panda motifs, or if you're already in China, go for a safari around your neighborhood, you might spot an unusually colorful collie or painted poodle.

Photo from CNN